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Iran’s saffron export up by 33%

Business Materials 26 September 2018 14:25 (UTC +04:00)

Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept.26

By Leman Zeynalova – Trend:

Iran has exported $123 million worth saffron abroad in the first five months of 2018, which is 33 percent more than in the same period in 2017, said the foreign trade statistics of Iran’s Customs Administration.

“During the first five months of 2018, more than 95 tons of saffron worth $123 million was exported abroad,” Mehr news agency reported citing the statistics.

Iran exported more than 69 tons of saffron worth around $93 million in the first five months of 2017.

The main importers of Iranian saffron are Austria, South Africa, the Netherlands, Japan, New Zealand, the Czech Republic, Vietnam, Taiwan, Spain, United Arab Emirates, Italy, US, India, France, Canada, Germany, UK, Pakistan, Australia, Iraq, Oman, Qatar and Kuwait.

Iran is the world’s biggest saffron producer and accounts for more than 90 percent of the global production. Close to 95 percent of Iranian saffron are grown in the two provinces of South Khorasan and Khorasan Razavi in northeastern Iran.

Saffron cultivation and harvest is a painstaking process which requires 200,000 strands of crimson crocus blooms to be gingerly picked in the morning to make one kilo for sale.

Iranian researchers have produced saffron extract for suppressing cancer, lowering blood pressure and curing depression.

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Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn

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